Third Eye Vase

Lorraine Formato
Third Eye
Unglazed Raku / Multi-Fired Stoneware Vase
This handbuilt stoneware vase by Asheville-based ceramicist Lorraine Formato combines the unpredictability of raku firing with the layered effects of multiple firings. The unglazed surface retains the raw, tactile qualities of the clay body, revealing subtle tonal shifts and surface markings from the firing process.
 
Wide and thin in profile, the form’s asymmetrical aperture and central opening recall the singular gaze of a sculptural “stone cyclops,” a reference to Greek mythology filtered through Formato’s sensitivity to her surroundings. The work also reflects her engagement with Eastern medicine and spiritual philosophies during the 1960s, embodying a meditative balance between organic irregularity and grounded, physical presence.
 
Designed to hold a minimal arrangement, the vase accommodates a few dry stems, herbs, or several long-stemmed flowers such as tulips or daffodils. Its unglazed finish emphasizes the clay’s natural texture, while the raku and multi-firing processes contribute to a nuanced surface that changes subtly under different light conditions.
 
Formato’s work is deeply informed by her decades-long practice in Western North Carolina, her connection to the Black Mountain College legacy, and her contributions to Asheville’s River Arts District. Her experimental approach to firing and form-making results in pieces that merge sculptural presence with functional potential.